1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention related to a device for storing clothes hangers in such fashion as to keep them out of the way during periods of non use and yet to still be readily available for use when needed.
2. The Prior Art
Everyone has the problem of what to do with clothes hangers when they are not in use. It seems that they have minds of their own in wishing to become entangled with nearby hangers so that often it is substantially impossible to retrieve but a single usable clothes hanger from a closet. Many comedians have made up entire monologs on the subject of clothes hangers and the problems associated with retrieving a single useable clothes hanger from a closet.
The prior art shows several different approaches to storing clothes hangers. Two commercial devices for receiving hangers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,981 to Hildt and U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,658 to Shafto. Neither of these devices is particularly attractive so as to make them something one would want in their home and neither is readily portable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,599 to Von Maur shows what appears to be a difficult device to use. It receives the curved hook portion of a clothes hanger in a slot for stacking. Thus the hook portion of the clothes hanger must be placed in the device with a fair degree of accuracy or it will not fit at all.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,184 to Scola shows a clothes hanger receiving device which is provided with a handle for portability. However, this device rests on the floor, as is the case for each of the above mentioned devices, and does not have means for mounting it on a wall in either a horizontal or vertical position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,241 to Kobza et al show a clothes hanger receiving stand with several stages of brackets which can hold a plurality of clothes hangers in an inverted position.